


It's Not Where You Go, but Who You Travel With

by Paprikat



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Comfort, Developing Relationship, F/M, Feelings, Porn with Feelings, Size Difference, Smut, Touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:08:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26044012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paprikat/pseuds/Paprikat
Summary: She’d barely made it to the top of the ladder before Din picked up where the kid had interrupted him. He took her hand to pull her closer to him, the other hand cradling her cheek to hold her still as he dropped his forehead down to touch hers.“What I told you a week ago is still true, it will always be true. You know that, right?” His voice was thick with unexpected emotion.***It had been so long since anyone had touched him with care, that even the feeling of her tracing the pattern of some old wound had him nearly groaning in enjoyment. When he felt her lips dragging lightly over his skin, he was hard pressed to stay still and not push her back down.
Relationships: The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 64





	It's Not Where You Go, but Who You Travel With

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends! Start at the beginning for feelings, skip to just before halfway for smut. :)

It took time for them to come together. Din still had healing to do and Ayva had struggled not to smother him with concern. They’d set the Crest down on an uninhabited planet off most known star maps, where the only thing of value was the peace of mind and solitude.

Din hadn’t put his armor back on, his helmet was stacked purposefully to the side. Ava wanted to ask if he intended on putting it on again, but that still felt like a tender subject. To say he was less imposing without his accoutrement would be a partial truth, his expressions freely moving over his face softening him to her.

It hadn’t just been expressions he’d shared. He’d told her of his life, of being a foundling, how he’d initially struggled to catch up with the other youth that had been born into the culture. His swearing of the Creed, and beginning his teens as a soldier. He stopped short of telling her what he’d done after the Empire had scattered his people, a reluctance still there to tell her of things he wasn’t proud of.

She returned in kind, not holding anything back in the telling. Her grandfather having actually been her master, Ayva’s mother trading her to the former Jedi at birth, and then a few years later attempting to turn her in to the empire as a force sensitive child for the reward offered. How she had been running since that point, all but severing her connection to the force, left with only her own company and a confused legacy after her master had passed on.

The conversation was made better by a new routine. At some point while they talked, usually sitting side by side, Din would lightly brush his knuckles over hers and invariably she’d twine her fingers with his. It was affirmation of a gentle affection between them, grown out of months of companionship. 

It took her a few days to feel comfortable enough with it to tease him just a bit, lifting their joined hands to ask.

“Does this mean you’re planning on leaving me on some random planet for my own good?”

He couldn’t have looked more confused at first, but to his credit, he caught on quickly.

“I was thinking a small moon this time, less of a chance for you to find trouble.”

“I think you already found me.” It sounded so corny, as she came to the slow realization that she was flirting... badly. She started to pull away, but he held onto her hand, keeping her from escaping.

“I’m not going to leave you anywhere unless you want me to.”

It was easier to keep her composure staring at a visor, easier still when bare fingers didn’t brush along her cheek. She moved her head into the touch, saying softly, “I want to be right here.”

She wanted to close her eyes and lean her whole body into the moment, when she felt another hand on her face - her chin to be exact, a cute clawed green hand mimicking his guardian by placing his hand on her face. 

Before she had a chance to react, Din stood, scooping the child up in one fluid motion, saying with gruff affection “Hey, what are you still doing up, you little womp rat?” He gave the kid a little toss which resulted in a delighted giggle. “It’s definitely time for bed for you.”

The Mandalorian didn’t obviously carry the same intimidating presence when he didn't have the physical barrier of his armor. He was strongly built, but more slender than she imagined under all the padding, with his voice holding a richer quality that she was still getting used to. While she liked being able to see this side to him, she couldn't shake the concern of him leaving his armor aside, but that was secondary to the deep sense of relief she had now that he no longer had issues taking a deep breath or climbing the ladder to his bunk. 

After he'd put the child to bed in his repurposed storage locker, Din paused by the ladder that led to the upstairs bunks and asked. "Come up for a bit?"

It had been a surprise the first time he'd asked. She didn't doubt he could manage without her and he was aware of it as well. But they had made a little ritual of her helping him check over his healing injuries, and either talking or sitting in companionable silence until one of them, most often her, had dozed off. He usually slept sitting on the bed, his back against the wall, claiming it was easier to breathe, while she tried to not sprawl out on the rest of his bed.

They weren't snuggling those nights. They were just… close. In case Din needed something or because Ayva needed reassurance that he was fine. Especially after a nightmare where he hadn't come back after she'd sent him off to the covert. It was just easier if she could wake up and see the shape of him in the dim light of his sleeping quarters.

Tonight was different. 

She’d barely made it to the top of the ladder before Din picked up where the kid had interrupted him. He took her hand to pull her closer to him, the other hand cradling her cheek to hold her still as he dropped his forehead down to touch hers.

“What I told you a week ago is still true, it will always be true. You know that, right?” His voice was thick with unexpected emotion.

“T-That you- that we…” she stammered as she tried to recall. He had told her so much that day and the warmth of him wasn’t helping her distraction.

She could feel him smile as he took pity and reminded her. “Family is more than blood. And you’re our family- my family now. I couldn’t leave you behind.”

“Din.” She still rarely said his name out loud, but she wanted to let him know she was being honest. “I was just teasing, I know you gave your word, you’d never-”

He interrupted by pulling back to drop a kiss in the center of her forehead, chuckling at the shocked look on her face. “I know, I just thought that if you were back to giving me a hard time you were feeling more like yourself and-” He lifted her hand to brush his lips against her knuckles. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”

“For a- wait, how long?”

“Long enough.” His eyes were twinkling with a mischief she had guessed at before, but now could plainly see.

Ayva reached up with her free hand to trace the smile lines at the corner of his eye, deciding they might be one of her favorite parts of him. “I didn’t think that you- that we would... that you’d want-”

He interrupted her. “I do.” 

He didn’t hide the hope in his voice as he asked, “Is this something you want?”

She’d spent so much time denying herself the possibility this could ever happen, always putting one foot ahead of each other. She found she didn’t need to think long, not after having recent proof that she was ready to risk everything for this man.

She guided his head closer to her, so she could stand on her toes to meet his lips in a tentative kiss. The hand that he drew around her back pulled her in confidently enough, but she could feel hesitance in how his lips responded to hers. Of course he hadn’t gotten much of a chance to practice before swearing his creed, but he was a quick learner, leaving her feeling like they had hardly gotten started when he eventually pulled back.

\---

Din knew exactly when he’d started thinking about this. Shortly after she’d accidentally bumped her forehead into his helmet when he was teaching her how to fly the Crest. All it took was an accidental kiss to turn a nagging feeling in the back of his mind into an outright struggle.

He’d given up on the idea of family outside of supporting his covert. The purge had wiped out most of his people and scattered what remained. His experience with anyone outside of his culture had been difficult and usually coupled with some desire for him to set aside his creed. It was easier to avoid attachment as much as possible, as there would be less to lose and he’d already lost so much.

The kid had changed all of that, leading Din to think he’d be content with his clan of two. Then he’d all but kidnapped a woman who insisted on being his passenger as well as his friend.

She’d snuck into knowing him the same way as she was kissing him now. Insistent, but still gentle, not demanding but leading him along into following her all the same. It was easy to get lost in the moment when she was patient while he fumbled and rewarded him with smiles as he caught on to just the right way to tease her lips.

But he’d asked her a question and he needed to hear she wanted this as much as he did. 

He pulled back to look into her eyes.

“Is that a yes?”

Din hated that he needed reassurance, but he wanted to be sure she felt the same way he did, that she wanted this next step with him as much as he did with her.

“Yes,” she affirmed, her eyes meeting his.

“Okay,” he murmured.

It was only a few steps to lead her into his small room where she sat at the edge of the bed, scooching backwards to make room for him. He wasted no time continuing the kiss he’d interrupted earlier and when she tilted her head to give him better access, he had to remind himself to not take too much of her too quickly.

Din wanted to enjoy this and was eager to explore more, but wanted to make sure she enjoyed him as well. His hands slipped under her shirt and ghosted over her back, his fingers feathering lightly, almost reverently over her torso as he admired the smoothness of her skin. It was easy to pull the garment over her head, her warm expression not changing when she was bare before him.

The light touches of his hands became firmer, especially when cupping the heaviness of her breasts. When his thumb grazed roughly over a nipple, Ayva gasped and arched into his hand, igniting a predatory instinct that he only partially restrained. Her reaction was even better when he dropped his head to taste her softness, drawing her nipple into his mouth, her hands coming up to tangle in his hair.

He liked the feeling of her fingers on his scalp, how her nails dug in lightly when he ran his tongue over her gently, and dug in firmly when he nibbled or grazed her with his teeth. Din lost himself for a time, teasing, suckling and gently biting, leaving her breast feeling achingly tender and heavy when he pulled away. The pale skin now flushed red from his attention and his stubble, but her reaction was even more enjoyable when he brushed his thumb over her.

He admired how she bit her lip, turning a moan into a whimper as she pressed her hips up and into his thigh, which had wandered between her legs. Her hands didn’t move from his head as she swallowed before she asked him.

“D-Do the other one?”

She caught a flash of a smile before he obliged. He was less careful this time, knowing she liked it, not stopping until she could feel both breasts throbbing in time to her heartbeat. When he was done, he soothed her sore nipple with his tongue and if she hadn’t been so turned on, she might have melted into a puddle right there.

His voice sounded rougher, even to his own ears when he spoke. “I want to see all of you.” Din hooked a finger in the waistband of her pants and gave a gentle tug. “Take these off for me?”

Ayva dropped her hands and began to move the waistband down, when she realized he wasn’t giving her room to comply, his thigh still snugly between her legs, one hand still on her breast.

He smirked, expecting her to tell him to move, but enjoyed it even more when she worked her pants off regardless, rocking her hips against him and giving him a mildly indignant look after she took her legs out one at a time.

He stood up then, leaving her sprawled in front of him, her growing irritation swept away by the soft need that entered his voice.

“I want to look at you.”

Ayva stayed still as he did, taking her in from grey eyes peering out from tousled auburn hair, to the curves of her hips and legs. She was short without being delicate, and he has found himself enjoying that she was as small as she was. It gave him all sorts of ideas for the future, ideas he had to stave off because he’d spent too much time looking without indicating what he was thinking..

At some point, Ayva has started to feel self conscious under his intense stare and started to curl her legs up, moving her hand to cover her still tender breasts.

He stilled her movements, placing a hand on her knee.

“Stop.” His thumb made small circles on the inside of her knee as he spoke. “You’re perfect.”

Not without flaws, but perfect for him, especially with the emotion she had for him showing clearly in her eyes. The trust and patience she’d shown him as well as her next comment had him smiling.

“And you’re still wearing too many clothes.”

Not feeling naked without his armor had been a considerable challenge already, and now he was about to remove another layer altogether. This was clearly another step, but that wasn’t why he hesitated for a long moment before lifting his shirt. He could feel her eyes on him, her desire mixing with concern.

“Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt.”

He had to admit it probably looked like it should, near healed bruising always looked so much worse than when it was fresh and tender, his torso scattered with a significant range of yellows and browns. 

Hoping to avoid breaking the mood, he slid his pants off and climbed back over her in nearly the same motion.

She stopped him with a hand to his chest before he could lean completely over her.

“I want to look too, it’s only fair.” she said, her eyes not leaving his.

He paused and held her eyes for a moment before slipping a hand under her back and pulling her up to sit, her hands still touching his chest. He knew he was in the kind of shape that women liked. You couldn’t live a life as physical as his without some benefits, and he could tell Ayva was enjoying them. When he felt her hands gravitating towards the myriad of scars, he also knew she was aware of the drawbacks of his trade. 

It had been so long since anyone had touched him with care, that even the feeling of her tracing the pattern of some old wound had him nearly groaning in enjoyment. When he felt her lips dragging lightly over his skin, he was hard pressed to stay still and not push her back down. Around the fourth kiss she’d pressed to his chest he realized something that made him smile and shake his head.

He interrupted her exploration, lifting her chin so she’d meet his eyes, trying but failing to keep all of the amusement out of his voice.

“If your plan is to kiss every scar, we’re going to be here a long time.”

Her reply came in the form of a blush.

“I was’n-”

He silenced her with a needy kiss, keeping it brief but clear about what he was interested in at that moment. He wanted to let her explore him at her leisure, wanted to do the same with her, but it’d been some time since he’d been with anyone and he wasn’t sure he had the willpower to wait much longer.

He felt momentarily guilty at taking control of her, but her laugh and the smile he could hear lingering as she found herself flat on her back with a hungry Mandalorian poised above her reassured him.

He was drawn back to her lips and it only took a few moments for her giggles to turn into something else entirely, her hips moving up against his where he had her pinned.

They both seemed to realize at the same time that his hard length had ended up between them. He drew back and forward again, watching himself slide against her, before pressing against her entrance. He reached down to steady himself and found her hands there already to guide him. She tilted her hips up as she breathed his name and he couldn’t contain a groan as he began to sink into her warmth.

She was tighter than he’d anticipated, snugly fit around him, her body giving resistance to the idea of him going deeper. He handled it much like he handled most things, unyielding but still considerate as he made small thrusts, her body parting further to him with each one. Her fingers were wrapped tightly around his wrists where he’d braced his arms next to her, encouraging him to continue.

Once she took him completely, Din let his head drop to hers, savoring the feeling of Ayva wrapped tightly around him. He gave her time to grow used to the stretch, the feeling of him snugly against her back wall as she was sure she couldn’t handle more of him. Then, only after she seemed to settle, he pushed deeper inside of her.

There were tender things he wanted to tell her, praises to offer, especially when her head fell back with a strangled ‘Oh.’ The play of emotions on her face was entrancing as she shifted from pure discomfort to a confused pleasure when he rested his pelvis directly against her clit. It was even more gratifying when she tried to push her hips further against him, her back arching upwards despite any distress.

"Do you feel me?" His voice was strained. "How much I want you?"

She was having trouble formulating the word he wanted to hear, most of her attention drawn to what he had just pointed out. How stretched she was around him, torn between wanting him to move to relieve the pressure and wanting him to to stay still to let her try to adjust to his size.

"Y-yes… it-"

It felt like there wasn't quite enough room for him.

He found himself drawn to the curve of her neck, first placing a gentle bite as he held her there, impaled completely upon him. He showed her what he wanted. The gentle bite turned more insistent, his mouth suckling on her skin as he sought to leave a mark. Mine. He wanted to leave a reminder that she was his and his alone.

The Mandalorian didn’t move until he was sure his mark would last at least a few days. Ayva’s body trembled with relief when he loosened his grasp, backing off. Only a few minutes before he had been concerned he might not last, but now he felt like savoring every moment, every reaction that he possibly could. 

Her voice caught between a moan and a whimper. “Please, Din… Please.” She wasn't sure what she was begging for , but he seemed ready now to comply.

He withdrew from her slowly, her flesh gripping against his, a small smirk pulling at his lips at the hint of frustration that shifted into trepidation crossing over her features as he left her empty, after filling her so completely. She didn’t have to wait long for him to push himself inside again and this time he didn’t rock himself in slowly to give her time to adjust to his intrusion. Insistently bearing down until he reached her limits once more, then made sure to roll his hips deeper so she could feel every bit of him. 

He rewarded her with a few tender kisses before moving again, setting up a deliberate pace that was just slow enough that it had her almostly desperately pushing her hips towards him, hands gripping his back as though trying to urge him to move faster. When tension had built enough in her that she sought her release, he held himself still while he drank in her small, jerky movements while she grinded up into him, pushing herself the rest of the way over the edge. 

A new warmth and wetness came with her release and he didn’t wait for her to come down, putting his hands to her hips so he could pull her onto him at the same time that he pushed forward. Somehow, he wanted her even more than before and the Mandalorian was eager to enjoy his prize. As he took her now at a faster pace, thoughts of claiming her coming to his mind again. He wanted her to feel him, to have the only thoughts she had to be of him and how he filled her.

It was only towards the end that his control slipped, the thought of how he could enjoy her like this for hours being what tipped him towards the edge, forgetting for a time to temper himself as he buried his face into her neck, thrusting as deeply into her as he could manage. Vague thoughts that he wanted her to feel him deeper than she had anyone else would come to him later, for now he just wanted to hear his name on her lips, feel the exhale of air he caused when he hit her back wall and finally-

His muscles tensed up and every move he made was about being closer, deeper in her. His hands gripped the fabric of the sheets, his feet looking for a hold to help him push that extra fraction of an inch, mouthing a soundless sigh. As he spilled himself inside her, he could feel her body pushing back against him. He tightened his grip and adjusted his hips, pinning her even more - this moment was about him, and him enjoying her.

It took a few seconds until he managed to relax his muscles and let up some of the pressure on Ayva. His body was doing a different dance now. He was coming down with her, gently rolling his hips, noticing her scent, feeling her warmth around him.

As soon as he could grab onto a thread of composure, Din lifted his head so he could meet Ayva’s eyes, her smile preempting any worries he might have. She looked exhausted and was probably more than a little tender, but she slid a hand from his back to tangle in his hair, pulling his forehead to hers,and he found himself glad she knew the significance of that action now. 

“That was-” she tried to formulate a thought, but it was maybe a little too early for that so she settled for. “Amazing. Just...Don’t ask me to move for a while.”

Tension he didn’t realize he had smoothed out of his shoulders as he relaxed his forehead against hers. “Good.” 

He had been vaguely aware that at some point towards the end, she’d wrapped her legs around his waist and didn’t seem particularly inclined to move at all. He found he was perfectly content to stay cradled inside of her.

But eventually, there was a necessity if they didn’t want to sleep in a mess. There was some jostling around and a declaration of not moving restated. Eventually, a middle ground was reached.

“Here, use this.”

“Whats this?”

“Your underwear.”

“Why does it have to be my underwear?”

“Because it’s what I can reach, unless you really want me to get up right now, which could get messy.”

“Fine.”

That silenced most of the grumbling before they took advantage of having to clean up to properly get into the bed. That itself required some coordination, it was a wider than average sort of deal, made to accomodate a man in armor and without the armor, it meant the two of them could just about fit.

“It’d be easier if you just slept on top of me.”

“Okay, one, that's not as comfortable as romance beamcasts might have you believe and two,” she continued, “I am not laying on your barely healed chest.”

He chuckled as they negotiated a decent arrangement, next to each other with her sprawled over him on his good side. It took much longer than either of them preferred and while Din found he didn’t have much to complain about the current arrangement, it’d be prudent to accommodate two people for nights when they didn’t feel like sleeping on top of each other.

“We can see what we can do tomorrow, the ship needs some improvements anyway, might as well start up here if we’re staying for a while.”

Ayva made a contented noise of agreement before his brain had finished processing the words, then she lifted her head to blink up at him. “Do what now?”

“Make the bed wider,” he clarified. “Much more comfortable than one of us sitting up.”

She held onto him a little tighter at the implication that she’d been sleeping next to him from this point on. “I’d like that.”

“Did you? Like-” He knew she’d enjoyed what they had shared by her reactions, but like earlier, he wanted to make absolutely sure. His fingers stroked along the base of her neck, where he had left marks on her skin. “This was okay?”

At her nod he continued to stroke down her side, regretting that he hadn’t spent more time teasing and exploring before he’d taken her. He’d handled her roughly, and while she seemed to enjoy it, Din couldn’t help but worry that he’d crossed a line somewhere. He wanted to make sure Ayva was alright, but asking a Mandalorian whether they were okay, implying they can’t handle themselves? That would be downright rude. It left him unsure of the rules here so he finally managed a compromise. “You’re really… small.”

She finally realized something was up and couldn’t keep the grin off of her face as she regarded him. “And you’re not. And I’m fine. Really, I’m sore, but it’ll be worth every step that I get to think about this tomorrow.”

That was almost enough for him to want to rearrange their positions and see what he could make happen, but they were both tired and recovering. It’d be better addressed in the morning.

As if she could read his mind, she pulled his hand to lay back over the mark on her neck and murmured. “Everything was perfect, see?”

He made a contented noise as he thumbed over the skin of her neck, his other hand pulling her a little tighter with a small huff. “Absolutely.”

**Author's Note:**

> There are a few other things I'm writing on here and there in the works, including a second chapter to this, hope to see you all soon!


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